PAL Pilots File for Federal Conciliation in Contract Negotiations with PAL Airlines

ST. JOHN’S, Nfld.—Today, PAL pilots, represented by the Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l (ALPA), took the next formal step in their negotiations by submitting a Notice of Dispute and requesting conciliation support from the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service. Entering conciliation opens the door for government involvement to help the PAL pilot group advance toward securing their second collective agreement. Discussions between the pilots and management have been underway since July 2025, but progress has stalled.

“PAL management has dragged their feet for months, and it’s obvious that they have no intention of engaging in meaningful bargaining,” said Captain Conrad Reid, chair of the PAL ALPA Master Executive Council (MEC). “We didn’t want to escalate, but PAL’s refusal to listen and understand our concerns without creating unworkable solutions designed to strip away our quality of life has left us no choice. Our pilots are done waiting for a contract that provides us a real work-life balance. Conciliation is now the only path forward because management has shown that they will not move unless forced. PAL pilots deserve a contract that reflects the operation they support every day, and we will push as hard as necessary to achieve this.”

With this request for conciliation, the Minister of Jobs and Families now has 15 days to appoint a conciliation officer. Once appointed, the conciliator will work with the parties for 60 days to reach an agreement. If both parties remain at an impasse following conciliation (and unless the parties agree to extend conciliation), a 21-day cooling-off period would begin before the parties can engage in self-help.

“I hear from pilots every single day that they are exhausted by the instability and short staffing that PAL continues to impose on them,” Reid said. “They’re trying to manage demanding schedules, families, and their own well‑being, and PAL still hasn’t put forward anything that meaningfully addresses those basic quality‑of‑life issues. It’s unacceptable. Our pilots cannot keep operating under this level of uncertainty. Conciliation is now required because PAL has left us with no other option. We are fully committed to securing an agreement that restores stability and respects the needs of our members while continuing to provide exceptional service to our passengers.”

Founded in 1931, ALPA is the largest airline pilot union in the world and represents more than 80,000 pilots at 42 U.S. and Canadian airlines, including more than 200 pilots at PAL Airlines. The airline operates scheduled passenger, cargo, and charter services across its destinations. Visit ALPA.org or follow us on X @ALPAPilots.

CONTACT: ALPA Media, 703-481-4440 or Media@alpa.org